Marion E. Plante

We have lost a kindhearted and gentle soul with the passing of Marion E. Plante 93, a former longtime resident of Swanzey, NH, and Keene, NH, on Sunday, February 11, 2018 at the Cheshire Medical Center / Dartmouth Hitchcock, Keene.

Marion’s parents, Philip A. and Dorothy P. (Wells) Dickinson, proudly welcomed their daughter into the world in April 6, 1924 in Lyme, NH.

Early in Marion’s work career, she worked at the former Homestead Woolen Mills in Swanzey, for many years. Her true passion of caring for others found her enjoying her role of running a daycare at her home for many years. She loved all her day care children as her own. To this day, many of her daycare children are still in touch with their “Nonie”.

Marion, along with her mother, Dorothy, started the Swanzey Saddles 4-H Club, and was a 4-H leader for 30 years. Marion loved horses, and she started this club so that her daughter could be with other kids her age who shared a love for horses. For many years, Marion, along with her mother Dorothy, daughter Hazel, and the Swanzey Saddles 4-H club, rode their horses in the Keene Christmas Parade.

She loved to cook, especially baking cookies for her children and grandchildren. She always made sure her cookie jar was full. She also made birthday cakes and wedding cakes. For many years, she ran “Marion’s Chuck Wagon” for the Cheshire County exhibitors at the State 4-H Horse Shows.

Marion also enjoyed making knitted items for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. All of the grandchildren always looked forward to getting a pair of mittens knitted by Nonie.

She also loved camping, fishing and going to the local county fairs. She loved to drive and would think nothing of driving to the beach or the mountains for a day trip. Of course she always had several of her grandchildren with her on these road trips.

Marion’s perfect day would be spending time with her family. She loved having all her family at her house for dinner on every holiday. She enjoyed cooking and baking for them, and she especially enjoyed the special memories she shared with all of her grandchildren.

She was always willing to help out whenever she could. She was a friend to everyone, and would always lend an ear when someone needed to just sit and talk. She was a very loving and forgiving person, who always had a good word to say about everyone she knew.

Marion will be greatly missed by her many friends and her family, especially her three children, Hazel Young and her husband, Bob, of Swanzey, James Plante and his wife, Patricia, of Hinsdale, NH, Michael Plante and his wife, Nancy, of Chesterfield, NH; her grandchildren, Robert W. Blodgett, Sr. of Spring Hill, FL, Jodi Daigle and her husband, Mark, of Swanzey, Stephanie Plante of Keene, Sarah Snow and her husband, Lucas, of Winchester, NH, David Plante of Chesterfield, Dustin Plante and his wife, Christa, of Troy, NH, Kellie Plante of Mississippi; her great-grandchildren, Robert W. Blodgett, Jr. and his fiancé, Cynthia Morton of Keene, Ryan Blodgett and his fiancé, Krista Lawrence, of Concord, NH, Russell Blodgett and his wife, Hannah, of Ashland, KY, Randall Blodgett and his wife, Brianna, of Swanzey, Adam Quintillio of Swanzey, Joseph Wilson, of Marlborough, NH Logan Snow and Sadie Snow, both of Winchester, Lacie Plante, Lauren Plante and Carmyn Plante, all of Stoddard, NH, Makenna Plante, Rylee Plante, Ethan Plante, and Jayse Plante, all of Troy, Paige Blodgett of Spring Hill; her great-great-grandchildren, Michael Blodgett and Maria Blodgett of Keene, Easton Blodgett of Ashland, Piper Blodgett of Swanzey; and a sister, Carol Chalke of Jaffrey, NH. She was predeceased by her husband of 38 years, Lawrence A. Plante, in 1982.

A funeral service will be held on Friday, February 16, 2018 at 12:00PM in the Foley Funeral Home, 49 Court Street, Keene. Burial will be in the spring in the Mt. View Cemetery, Swanzey. Family and friends are invited to call at the funeral home on Friday morning from 10:00AM until 12:00PM.

In lieu of flowers, for those who wish, donations may be made in Mrs. Plante’s memory to the Swanzey Saddles 4-H club, c/o Gail Wood, 14 Summer Street, Swanzey, NH 03446.